Electrical apparatus.



No. 891,263. EATENTED JUNE 28, 1908.

G. J. KLEIN.

ELECTRICAL APPARATUS.

APPLIGATION FILED MAY 7. 1907.

or devices termed cut-outs, lwhlc UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEErcE.

CHARLES JULIUs-KLEINOENEW YORK, N. Y., .issrcxon To RALPH A.soucier-BERG, or NEW YORK, N. Y.

To all whom it may concern:

borough of Manhattan, in the county of New York, city and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improve? ments in ElectricalApparatus, of which the followingfis a specification.

This invention relates to electrical apparatus, and particularly toelectrical a aratps ort 1- narily comprise a box or .receptacle or whatmay be termed a plug receptacle and a plug, the entrance of which latterinto which former, they being both provided with contacts, terminals orother circuit members, closes or extends an electrical circuit,dependent uponthe union of the plug with an electrical lamp heaterorother translating or consuming device or apparatus. By the provision ofa plurality of the boxes or receptacles at convenient points, theconnection of the translating or consuming device or a paratus with acurrent-supply line may be e iected at a number of desirable points in abuilding, to permit of the attachment of the plugs at predeterminedplaces. f

In the prior art it is old to have' a box or receptacle provided withclosure means for the box or receptacle or the face-plate of the same,which closure means open inwardlyof the box or receptacle upon insertionof the plug g such closure means returning automatically to normal oroperative position.

According to the present invention, I provide a box or receptacle havingclosure means openingupon the 'insertion of the plug, but not openinginwardly of the box or receptacle. In so opening, the ,closure means oen either voutwardly of the box or receptac e or in a plane extendingneither inwardly nor outwardly of the Vbox or receptacle. l y

The present invention, as aboveoutlined, has for its object to provideimprovedappavratus Aor devices of the character referred to which willbe relatively simple and inexpensive in construction, convenient ininstallation and use, effective. iii-operation, neatin a pearan'ce, andgenerally. superior in point of) efliciency and adaptability to varyingconditions of'use; and which, by dispensing with, inwardly openingclosure .means and the nece sity of' providing for the reception of thesaine Within the box or receptacle, may

Specification of LetterslPatent.

Application led May 7, 1907. Serial No. 372,320.

ratemed'mne 23, 190s.

still be constructed so as to present a substantially flush ap earancewhen the plug is not'connected -wit the receptacle and also, if desired,when the plug isapplied to the box or receptacle.

The improvements lhave all the desired. advantages of -normallymaintaining the` 'caused to closely associate themselves with the plugso as to obviate any unsightly or inconvenient projection orobstruction.

In the drawings: I `igure 1 is a longituf dinal sectional view of a boxor` receptacle and plug therefor constructed and associated according tothe present invention the` plugl being shown part y in elevation Fig. 21s a vertical sectional View of the same, taken u on the line 2 2, Fig.1; Fig. 3 is a top an view of the box or receptacle, the plug iavingbeen detached therefrom; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of thesame: Fig. 5 is an enlarged transverse sectional View, taken upon'theline 5 5, Fig. 4, loolring in the direction of the appended arrow,-

the closure means being shown in open position in dotted lines; Fig. 6is an` enlarged fragmentary detail' sectional view, taken upon the line6 6, Fig. 4; Figs. 7, 8 andQ are enlarged fragmentary perspective viewsof members of' the closure means.

Corres ending parts in all the-figures are denoted y the same referencecharacters.

Referring'with particularity to the drawings, the. general referencecharacter A in` each of the .figures where emIployed designatcs the 'boxor receptaeJ e preferably formed of insulating material, the referencecharacter B designates the plug, the reference character C designatesthe face-platev of the box or receptacle, and the reference character a'desi nates the inner wall of the box or receptac e, the referencecharacter D designating the building wall or other construction in whichthe box or receptacle isinstalled.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 9 inclusive, the box or receptacleA is providedat its inner wall a with contacts or terminals 17 and 18 rethrough t elatter.

spectively which are s aced apart and connected with the usual ine wires19 and 20. These contacts are arranged to receive the plug B upon itsinsertion through the plugo ening 21 in the face-plate C, which saidpug-opening is provided with tl1e closure means E. Said closure means Ecomprise two members, e and f, which members are arranged adjacent toand in osition to close the plug-o ening when the p ug is not passedEach of the members consists of an elongated, concave or dished plate orshutter 24, of such formation that the two members whenA assembled, andin the plug-opening closing'position, constitute a cup-shaped'entirety,having inner or lower meeting or joining edge ortions 25 and outer orupper spaced e ge portions 26, which latter form asubstantiallycontinuous rim of the cup-shaped formation of the associated members eand f, said edge portions 26 extending substantially in the same planeand substantially flush with the outer surface of the face-plate C whenthe said closure means members are in plug-opening closing position. Thelonger portions 26EL of the edge portions 26 extend preferably inparallelism, whereas the shorter portions 2Gb of f. the edge portions 26are of such curvature as to be merged in. a combined curvature of theend portions of the plates or shutters 24. lith the members e and inplug-opening closing in full lines, said members project or dip inwardlyor downwardly from the face-plate C, and are conveniently housed withinthe box or rece tacle A at the outer or upper portion of t e same.

F designates means supporting and relatively movably connecting themembers e and f, and G designates tension means affecting the members eand f and tending to maintam the same in plug-opening closing position.

The means F for sup movably connecting t comprises, in a orting 4andrelatively referred form of construction, two spaced pins orend-bearings 27, which are secured beneath the face-plate C at oppositeends ofthe elongated plug opening 21, by means of the bearings 28, 28.The free ends of the pins'27, 27 project towards each other andterminate beneath the plug opening 21 where said free ends pass throughf ears 29 upon the plate or shutter of the member f, and through otherears 30 upon the plate or shutter of the member e, the ears 29underlapping the ears 30 by being bent slightly inwardly, as at 31, asclearly shown in Figs. 3, 7, 8 and 9; said ears being formed in theouter or upper edge portions 26of the plates or shutters 24, and in theend portions 26b thereof. The plates or shutters 24 are free to movepivotally upon the pins 27 and to project outwardly or upwardly of thefaceposition, as shown 1n Figs. 3, 4 and 5,

e members e and f plate C, as the edge portions 25 of the said plates orshutters relatively separate, and the edge portions 26 thereof approacheach other,

as most clearly shown in Fig. 2. The concavity or curvature of theplates or shutters 24 is such, and the confines of the plug-opening 21are s o correspondingly formed, that when the plates or shuttersconstituting the members e and f move outwardly through the plug-opening21 the outer surface portions of the members e andf continue during suchmovements substantially in close sliding engagement with the confines ofthe plugopening 21, thus opening the plug-opening only between saidmembers e and as necessary for or caused by the insertion of the plugbetween said members.

The tension means Gare applied to the means F and to the members e andj, and comlprise two coil springs, 31 and 32 respective the spring 31being coiled around one of the ins 27, bea-ring at one end, as at 33upon t e pin 27 at its point of connection 28 with the facelate C, andat the other end, as at 34, upon t 1e adjacent end portion of the membere. The spring 32 is coiled around the other pin 27, bearing at one end,as at 35 upon the pin 27 at its point of connection 28 with theface-plate C, and at the other end, as at 36 upon the adjacent endportion of` the member f. The springs 31 and 32 are adapted to force theinner edge portions 25 of the members e and f into engagement tomaintain the closure means E in position within the boX or receptacleand in cup-shaped form in entirety.

The plug B comprises an insulating body portion 37 which is bifurcatedto constitute spaced -prongs 38 carrying elongated contacts, 39 and 40respectively, which are adapted to be en aged with the contacts 17 and18 respective y within the box or receptacle. The plug B is furtherprovided with a crown 41 provided with a neck 42 through which extendservice wires 43 and 44, which are respectively connected with thecontacts 39 and 40 of the plug.

The operation, method of use and advantages of the improvementsconstituting the present invention will be readily understood from theforegoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawingand the following statement z-Referring to the form of constructionshown in Figs. 1 to 9 inclusive, the members e and f of the closuremeans E normally lie within the box or receptacle A or within the outersurface of the face-plate C, forming together a cup-shaped entiretyconcave with relation to the faceplate. The members e andf aremaintained 1n closing position by the tension means G, eifectuallyclosing the plug-opening 21. lf, now, the plug B be passed through theplugopening and brought to bear upon the curved` surfaces of the membersand f, continued inward'pressure wiii cause the meeting edge portionsl25 `of the members e and f to relatively separate, permitting the plugto pass between said members'inwardly of the box or receptacle until thecontacts 39 and 40 uponI the plug are brought intojengageinent with thecontacts-17 and 18 within the box or receptacle. The relative separationof the edgeportions 25 of the members e and j is accompanied by relativeapproach of the edge portions 26 of said members e 4and f which edgeortioiis are forced outwardly through the p ug-opening 21, comingfinally into engagement with the sides of the -plug B beneath the cap orcrown 41 thereof, and thus limiting the inward movement of the plug. Theedge portions 25 of the members e and f also bear upon the sides of theplug within the box or receptacle, under urgence ofthe tension meansG.The members e and f in their outward pivotal movement remainv in closeengagement with the confines of the plug opening 21, and when the plugis hoinein the box or receptacle the said plug-opening is completelyfilled by the plug and the members e and The tension means G actingthrough the members e and f act upon the plug B to hold it in the box orreceptacle. When the plug is withdrawn from the box or receptacle, thetension means G cause the members e and f to move pivotally to bring theinner edge portions 25 of the members e and f into engagement Within thebox or receptacle,r completing the cup-shaped formation of the entiretyand again effectually closing the plug-opening, the edge portions 26 of,the members e and f resuming their position sub,- stantially Hush withthe outer surface of the face-plate C. It is thus apparent that with?out using closure means for the plug-o ening Y which open inwardlyA ofthe receptac e and are operated by the insertion of the plug, theinvention provides eifective, neat and ei'licient closure means operatedby the insertion of the plug to open the plug-opening, and autoniatically closing the plug-opening upon the withdrawal of the plug,the closure means, on the contrary,V opening outwardly of thereceptacle, but not extending outwardly toan extent to cause anymaterial projection or obstruction,

In the form of construction disclosed and described, closure means areprovided eectually closing the plug-opening when the plug is out of thebox or receptacle, which do not open inwardly ofthe box or rece taclealthough such means are operated by t e insertion of the plug, and whichserve effectually to close the plug-openingsagainst the entrance ofdirt, moisture or any other foreign substance, such closure meansoperating automatically and requiring no mani ulation ldistinct from theinsertion and with raWal of proportion to the employed. Finally, I donot desire to be understood as limiting myself to the specificconstruction, combination and operative. association of parts andmembers as shown and described, but reserve the'right to vary the same,in adapting the improvements to varying conditions of use,without/departing from the spirit of the invention or the terms of thefollowing claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to `secure byLetters Patent z*- 1. Improvements of the character described,comprising a plug receptacle provided with closure means o eningoutwardly o f the box or rece tacle an operated by the insertion of thep ug, y

2. Improvements of the character described, comprising a box. orreceptacle pro# vided with a face-plate having a plug-o vening therein;and closure Ameans for said p ugopening openingoutwardly of said box'orrcepzacle and operated by the insertion of t e u v 3 pInga device a lugreceptacle of the4 class described, a face-p ate therefor having a pluopening therein and a spring actuated curve shutter movably mountedadjacent said plu number of plug-openingsl opening and adapted to beactuated by the 4. In a device a plug receptacle ofthe class described,a face-plate thereforv having an openin therein, and a plurality ofshutters pivote adj acent to said opening and adapted tcl) openoutwardly upon the insertion of a p ug.

5.. In a device a plug receptacle of the class described, a face-platetherefor having an o ening therein, and a plurality of curved vs utterspivoted adjacent to said opening and adapted to open outwardly upon theinsertion of a plug. u

6i- In a device a plug receptacle of the class described, a face-platetherefor .having an opening therein, a plurality of shutters pivotedacjacent to said opening and adapted to open outwardly upon theinsertion of a i-io plug and means for normally actuating the f shuttersto close the opening in the faceplate.

7. In a device of the class described, a plu receptacle, a face plate onthe same provide with an opening, and means for closin said opening,said means swinging outwar y of. the plug receptacle and operated by theplug which cooperates with the box or receptacle. 8'. In a device of theclass described, a plug receptacle, a face-'plate for the same having anopening, a pivoted concave shutter adapted to swing in a verticalplane,and means to normally cause the shutter to close the; opening in theface-plate, said shutter beingadapted to open upon the insertion of theplug.

9. In a device of the class described, a lug said means embodying apivoted actuated vmember arranged to be swung outwardly ot thereceptacle and ada )ted to be actuated in one direction by the insertionof the plug.

1,0. In a device of the class described, a plug receptacle provided witha face-plate provided with a plug o ening, means for closing saidopening, sai means embodying a pivoted actuated member arranged to beswung outwardly of the receptacle and adapted to be actuated in thismovement by the insertion of the plug, and means for normally causingthe closure member to close the opening in the face-plate.

11.-In a device of the class described, a plug receptacle-provided witha face-plate provided with an opening, and means for closing saidopening, said means comprising two oppositely disposed pivotedtenslonally actuated members ada ted to be swung outwardly of thereceptac e and adapted to be actuated in this direction upon theinsertion of the ilug.

12. n a device of the class described, a face-plate having a plugopening therein and a sprmg actuated shutter movably mounted adjacentsaid plug opening and adapted to be actuated by the insertion of a plugto project outwardly.

13. In a device of the class described, a plug receptacle a facelatetherefor having an opening therein, anId a plurality of shutters pivotedadjacent to said opening and' adapted to open outwardly upon theinsertion of a lug.

In,tes't1mony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES JULIUS KLEIN.

Vitnesses: l

' MICHAEL R. MATTEO,

PERCY L. ELIAS.

